A Heart Healthy Food Pyramid

If you eat 3-4 fruits every day you will get the antioxidants, crucial in the fight against heart disease and cancer. Nuts are a staple food in Mediterranean diet. They are high in healthy monounsaturated fat, the one that does not get stuck in our arteries. Scientific studies have found that almonds and walnuts are the most beneficial for our health.

Nutritionists opposed that the Pyramid encouraged eating too many portions of grains and, therefore, boosted obesity. 1993 was the year of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. And from the part of USDA, they replaced 1992 Pyramid in 2005 with the more “acceptable” My Pyramid, a sort of “shamefaced non-understandable travesty” as some people said. Anyway, the food industry liked it because it did not show hierarchies.

High-fat red meat (such as regular ground beef or prime rib) sits at the top of the pyramid and should be consumed only once a month, if at all. Eggs sit on the periphery of the weekly animal list. Moderate intake of eggs (four or fewer per week) is in keeping with the heart-healthy Mediterranean-inspired eating plan.

Mediterranean diet meals offers an affordable, balanced and healthy promoting lifestyle when followed along with your regular workouts. Studies proved that those who are consistent in following this diet showed very low rates of heart risks, and other factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity. However chances of type 2 diabetes were not minimized as they didn’t quit smoking. So in order to achieve better results you not only have to follow a healthy diet plan, but also should adopt a healthy lifestyle.

They are rich sources of vitamins A, C, folic acid, minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, fibre and phytochemicals. Take two servings a day and include one serving daily of dark green or yellow-orange vegetables. Meat and alternatives - This group includes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, milk, milk products, nuts and seeds.

They can go with your meals in moderate portions 1 or 2 times per week. Deserts, in general, fall into the sweets category and should be eaten in moderation. For people who cannot skip desserts, fresh fruit is the option, as it is at the pyramid’s base. As for meat, it is good to complement proteins, and by having it with moderation, the unwanted fats that come with it are kept under control.

Occasional use of fats, oils, and sweets, especially oils. 6-11 servings of grains a day, especially whole grains. The Healthy Diet Pyramid is a guide, to help you plan and eat a well balanced diet each day. In general, you should select more food from the base of the pyramid (the carbohydrates), and less from the top of the pyramid (fats, oils, sugar, salt). Rice and alternatives - Placed at the base of the Pyramid are rice, noodles, bread, pasta, cereals, porridge, lontong, chapati, naan, idli, thosai & biscuits.

However, that doesn’t mean meat should be avoided completely. It is recommended that you consume low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry twice a week. Moreover, as long as you keep the consumption under 340-450 g or 12-16 ounces per month, you can also eat red meat a few times per month.

This is a heart healthy, diabetic diet, the low glycemic way of eating. You can call it a pre-diabetic diet, you can call it food for life. It's the way to health and permanent weight loss. Don't eat whole grains with protein in the evenings. Either have protein OR grains, not both.

Americans tend to consume more meat than is healthy and more than is necessary at one meal. Instead of eating slabs of meat, slice a 4 oz. steak into small pieces and serve two people when you stir fry it with vegetables. You could serve it with barley, quinoa or even brown rice which has a moderate glycemic index. Eat a hearty meal like this for lunch and then just have a salad or yogurt for dinner with a green smoothie.

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